Cessna 172N Crash at Saint-Barthélemy Aerodrome (F-OPLC)

Incident Overview and Context On 4 January 2013 at 13:40 local time, a Cessna 172N registered F-OPLC, operated by St Barth’s Flying School, crashed at the Saint-Barthélemy Aerodrome (971). The aircraft was destroyed, and the pilot sustained injuries. The flight was a local training mission with an ab initio student on board. As the student was not yet qualified to land, the pilot took control for a final approach to runway 10, a paved runway. During the final approach, before reaching the Tourmente pass, the pilot encountered severe turbulence. The aircraft banked to the right and then to the left, ultimately striking the ground on the northern edge of the pass, 270 degrees from the approach axis. The student assisted the injured pilot in evacuating the aircraft. ## Meteorological and Operational Conditions The last wind information transmitted by the AFIS agent was 060 degrees at 21 knots. Aerodrome weather records indicated an average wind of 060 degrees, varying between 050 and 070 degrees, with speeds ranging from 15 to 23 knots. On the day of the accident, strong turbulence forced pilots of two other aircraft to apply go-around power, while another pilot executed a go-around followed by a full circuit. Two Britten-Norman BN-2 twin-engine aircraft landed without difficulty immediately before and after the incident. An instructor reported experiencing strong turbulence during a morning training flight under similar wind conditions. ## Pilot Profile and Aircraft Status The pilot held an ATPL A license from 2008 and had been a class rating examiner (CRE-A) since September 2011. He had 19,672 flight hours, including 2,000 on type and over 20,000 landings at the aerodrome. He was also authorized by the DSAC AG to issue site permissions. The aircraft was equipped with a 160 hp engine. An examination of the wreckage did not reveal any technical anomaly that could explain the accident. Both pilots wore only lap belts; the pilot stated he did not wear the diagonal strap because the aircraft lacked a retractor or tensioner and he wanted to maintain mobility during instruction. ## Regulatory Environment and Conclusion The Saint-Barthélemy Aerodrome is subject to specific regulations due to its unique environmental characteristics, including mandatory specific training for pilots and access authorization by the Guadeloupe Territorial Delegation of Civil Aviation. The visual approach chart notes difficult approach conditions due to terrain and turbulence on runway 10. The accident was attributed to a late go-around decision during an approach in severe turbulence. The pilot's extensive experience and knowledge of the aerodrome likely contributed to overconfidence regarding the weather conditions. The element of surprise and the aircraft's engine power contributed to the ineffectiveness of the go-around. The absence of the diagonal seatbelt strap likely contributed to the severity of the pilot's facial injuries.